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Video Answers If the Nissan Leaf Still Is a Credible Option Among EVs

No modern electric car presents air-cooled battery packs apart from the Lexus UX 300e. If the Nissan Leaf, Renault ZOE, and Dacia Spring came to your mind, remember that they are not modern. The Leaf and the ZOE are basically the same for about a decade, and the Spring inherited the same technology they use. All other manufacturers know that air-cooled battery packs do not last as much as they could. That said, is there still room for the Nissan Leaf? Jack Scarlett made this question in an Electroheads video and presented an interesting perspective.
Nissan Leaf 15 photos
Photo: Electroheads
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Beginning with an overview of what the Leaf once was, the youtuber shows what a meaningful change it was for electric vehicles. Before the Leaf was presented, all people had to buy in the UK, India, and a few other markets was the G-Wiz, another name for the REVAi. This tiny electric vehicle was crampy, uncomfortable, and had a meager range. Nissan changed that by giving customers the option of a real car since December 2010.

Eleven years later, it is pretty much the same vehicle despite its second generation, presented in 2017. The styling is a lot different, but the underpinnings have just been slightly improved. According to Scarlett, that is easy to perceive while driving it. The interior feels dated, the performance is not impressive, the range is disappointing, and the price is not as competitive as it should be.

Scarlett did not bring up that battery pack replacements for the Leaf are frequently more expensive than the cars when we are speaking about used ones. In the Virgin Islands, Nissan charges $35,000 for a new battery pack, making it even more expensive than a new vehicle. That makes owners put up with a battery pack with a significantly reduced range or just sell their EVs to the junkyard.

What the youtuber presented in such an adverse scenario for the Leaf is that it challenges its owner to drive more frugally. That can make living with it a fun experience in a peculiar way. The issue is that it may not be enough to compete with vehicles that offer more range or are just more affordable.

With the Ariya about to reach dealerships, Scarlett hopes that Nissan will have time to give the Leaf a refresh, but that is very unlikely. Most buyers now prefer crossovers and SUVs instead of C-segment hatchbacks. Nissan knows that pretty well, thanks to the Qashqai. In other words, the Ariya is very likely the vehicle that will put the Leaf to rest. For a car that served so well its purpose to promote electric mobility, it would be an honorable discharge.

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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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